The EU excludes leather from the EUDR
The European Commission’s decision to exclude raw hides and leather (tariff headings 4101, 4104 and 4107) from Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EUDR) represents a substantive change in environmental traceability requirements for the global footwear, leather goods and tanning value chain.
The change to the deforestation-free products initiative (EUDR) will take effect upon its publication, which is scheduled for mid-September.
The Secretary General of the Confederation of National Associations of Tanners and Dressers of the European Community (COTANCE), Edoardo De Paola, stated that the Commission’s decision “is a step in the right direction in ensuring that leather is recognised for what it truly is: a durable material and a by-product of the meat and dairy industries,” the association reported.